BENSON® Technology

Description

Steam Power Plant

Combined Cycle Power Plant

Research & Development

The BENSON® technology is a process for large-scale steam generation in power plants. The characteristic feature of the BENSON® technology is the once-through principle which, in conjunction with sliding-pressure operation, allows for highly efficient, flexible and reliable power plant operation.

The Siemens BENSON® license is available for fired steam generators as well as for heat recovery steam generators and mainly addresses the thermodynamic and thermohydraulic design of the evaporator system of BENSON® steam generators. Basically, the license comprises the following components:

Usage of Siemens patents for the construction of BENSON® steam generators

Usage of specifically developed and highly specialized BENSON® design software

Training and consulting

Transfer of the latest findings from research and development

Beyond the BENSON® license we advise utilities on questions related to the evaporator system of once-through steam generators.

The most effective measure for achieving high steam power plant efficiency is selecting high steam parameters. Only the once-through principle makes steam generation possible even at supercritical pressure. To date BENSON® boilers have been built for pressures up to 310 bar.

Due to the variable evaporation endpoint and the absence of a thick-walled drum the BENSON® steam generator is especially well-suited to flexible sliding-pressure operation. This way a coal-fired unit with a BENSON® steam generator can sustain load transients of 4 to 6% per minute over a wide power output range. High plant efficiency is ensured even at part load.

The size and geometry of the furnace of a BENSON® steam generator can be optimally adjusted to the fuel without restrictions on the water/steam side. The BENSON® steam generator is constructed with the widest possible range of firing systems including fluidized bed combustion.

The BENSON® steam generator with vertical rifled tubes has been successfully introduced onto the market in the past few years. Based on the BENSON® Low Mass Flux Design this type of steam generator combines the advantages of the BENSON® technology with the furnace wall design familiar for drum-type steam generators.

BENSON® technology is available worldwide as leading boiler manufacturers throughout the globe have obtained licenses from Siemens.

Licensees of fired BENSON® steam generators

The first combined cycle power plant with a BENSON® heat recovery steam generator (HRSG), the 390 MW CCPP Cottam CDC located in Great Britain, was successfully commissioned in 1999.

BENSON® HRSG make a substantial contribution to the realization of highly efficient and flexible combined cycle power plants.

Further increase of steam parameters possible as there is no pressure limitation

Increased efficiency in part load operation and at high ambient temperatures due to reduced attemperator flows in comparison to a drum-type HRSG

BENSON® HRSG may be realized either in horizontal or in vertical configuration.

BENSON® technology is available worldwide as leading boiler manufacturers throughout the globe have obtained licenses from Siemens.

Licensees of BENSON® heat recovery steam generators

Siemens BENSON® test rig

Intensive research and development is especially being conducted in the field of heat transfer, pressure drop and flow stability of two phase flows in evaporator tubes. Tests are continuously performed in the Siemens BENSON® test rig and serve the development and validation of the BENSON® design software. This has led to the establishment of the world's largest database on heat transfer and pressure drop in evaporator tubes.

Beyond that another main focus is on the development of BENSON®-specific control concepts.